A Meeting in the Park
by SWWoman
Summary: John meets Joss in the park to discuss a case, but there is a lot more going on under the surface. My first Fic, please be kind! Thanks to Maddsgirl75 and ReeseisLAVAhot for all their encouragement. You guys rule!


John stood quietly behind the tree, watching the park bench, waiting for Carter. He knew Finch would be annoyed with him for picking a bench deep in the park, one that could not be seen from any of the security cameras for his rendezvous, but he would deal with that later. He wanted Carter all to himself, even if itwas only for a few minutes, even if this was a "business" meeting.

John leaned against the tree and sighed. He really shouldn't let himself feel this way about anyone, and he had no idea how Joss had managed to breach his professional exterior shell and worm her way into his heart. She hadn't even been trying to get to him; actually, she would probably be horrified ifsheknewhe felt this way. Joss lived by the rules, and John didn't just break the rules, he shot them in the knees, punched them in the wound and then left them howling in pain on the floor. She had sworn to uphold the law; he broke half a dozen laws before breakfast most days. Needless to say, this was **a **constant source of conflict between them.

To make matters more complicated, John knew he wasn't exactly good relationship material. Just about every government agency you could name was after him, and consequently doing normal people things like taking a beautiful woman out to dinner and a movie was a logistical nightmare. He never knew who might be watching. He simply could not stroll into the front doors of the precinct and see Carter whenever he wanted the way normal people could. Working the numbers with Finch meant that he worked long, irregular hours, and anyone in a relationship with him would have to get used to going days without seeing or hearing from him. What woman in her right mind would put up with that?

Nor would Carter want him as a role model for her son. He was a trained CIA assassin, and a damn good one. He had tortured people, shot people, and blown people up, all in the name of patriotism. He lost track of the numerous way**s** he knew to kill and hurt people, so, no, he wasn't good role model material for Joss's son.

But yet, here he was, waiting like a kid at Christmas to see her. He could hardly wait to look into those deep, chocolate colored eyes and see her face light up with a smile. He knew this attraction could never progress any further; hell, it shouldn't even have gotten to the point it was at now, but he would take what he could get. He would just enjoy the few minutes he would spend in her company. John's problem was that when he fell for someone, he fell hard and he fell deep. And he had most definitely fallen for the tough, no nonsense cop who challenged him to be a better person every day.

Maybe he could think of something to say to make her laugh. He loved her laugh; she was so beautiful when she laughed. It literally made his day when he could make her laugh.

He smiled when he saw her coming, he couldn't help it. She was wearing jeans that showed off her every curve and a lovely light yellow silk blouse that set off her complexion beautifully. Her hair was not in its usual ponytail, instead, she'd left it down to fall in thick waves around her face. He just stared at her for a few minutes, drinking in her presence, while she paced in front of the bench looking around, knowing that he was close by.

Finally he tore his eyes away from her and slowly scanned the area. She had not been followed; he spotted no CIA/FBI/NYPD tail. He was not surprised; she had a talent for losing anyone who was following her. She was all his now.

He moved out from behind the tree, moving quickly on his long legs; so quickly that to her **it** felt like someone had beamed him in. But she was barely even startled anymore; she was so used to having him magically appear next to her.

"Hello, Detective", he said in his sexist voice, which he reserved exclusively for her. Jessica had called it his "bedroom voice", and she was the only other person he had ever talked to quite like that.

Carter turned around with a broad smile on her face. Reese's heart did a cartwheel, but he kept his "professional smirk" plastered on his face while she settled down onto the bench next to him. She pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it over to him.

"I checked with my buddy over in the Gang Unit. You were right about Derek Milton being a former gang member, he ran with one of the Bronx gangs when he was a juvie, but then his older brother David was killed over a crack deal gone bad. Derek bailed on the gang life and has been trying to go straight for a year. My buddy says he would**n't** be surprised if his old gang wanted to take him down for leaving them. Once in the gang, you stay in the gang".

Reese thumbed through the folder. "So we should send Derek out of town, to get a fresh start".

"Yeah, his old gang are minor players, they don't have the resources or the connections to go chasing people more than **a** few miles outside of the city. According to the file he has family in Charlotte, which should be far enough. I'm sure Finch would spring for a bus ticket".

Reese smiled, "I don't think that'll be a problem. Thanks, Joss".

Reese froze; he had only called her Joss once before, when she was laying in the alley after her CI shot her. He had no idea why he had slipped this time. No, he knew why, his mooning over her was making him careless.

Fortunately, Carter seemed not to notice. "You're welcome, John. It's nice to help a live one once in a while. Besides, maybe you won't add to my workload on this one".

**'**Oh boy, here we go with the flirtatious banter**'**, he thought happily.

John gave a faux long-suffering sigh, "I'm trying to behave".

Joss laughed. "Well I know it won't last long so I'll try to enjoy itwhile I can". Reese's heart did its second cartwheel of the day. **H**e had made her laugh. Today was officially a good day.

"Don't get too used to it, my trigger finger itches", he teased.

"I'm sure you'llfind someone to shoot soon, that always cheers you up", she teased right back.

John smiled; he loved the banter with Carter. It made him feel more like a regular guy and less like a soulless murderer. The time he spent in her presence made him feel alive again, and to his surprise it felt good. He never thought he would feel good again.

"How's Taylor doing? The kidnapping have any lasting affects?"

Joss sighed. "He's fine actually, doing better than I am. He talks about you a lot, wants to know all about you".

"What did you tell him?"

"We work together. You were in the military, I don't know much more than that, which is the truth. He asked if we were dating".

John snorted. As if a good woman like Joss would be interested in damaged goods like himself.

"You find the idea of dating me funny?" Joss huffed.

John was stunned. Far from it, he would love nothing more than to take her to dinner, hold her hand, and walk down the street with his arm around her.

"Any man would be lucky to date you, but I'm afraid I'm lousy relationship material. There is that everyone-is-trying-to-kill-me thing. Bullets tend to bring a date to a screeching halt."

"Relax; I'm just messing with you. And thanks for the compliment". Joss was looking away.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. John tried to think of a legitimate reason he could prolong the meeting, but he was coming up blank. Finally Joss stood up, "Well, much as I would love to sit here and enjoy this lovely day, I should get back to the office."

"Thanks again, Carter."

"See ya around, John."

John sat and watched her walk away. The sway of her hips in those jeans made it impossible for him to tear his eyes away from her backside. He simply could not take his eyes off offher until she was around the corner. He sighed, and headed off to the library to meet Finch and save Derek Milton's life.

**Joss's side**

Carter approached the bench, where she was to meet John, with anticipation. She felt silly getting so excited over a face to face meeting with a lawbreaker, but, damn, he was one sexy lawbreaker. His voice, on the phone alone, made her breathless, but when you combined that voice with that face, those eyes…

"Oh, get a grip", she told herself. "You're just an asset to him, a tool." But she was still excited. John Reese had an odd effect on her. She got tingly when he looked at her; the man could make "I need a file…", sound like an invitation to a romantic weekend getaway.

She reached the bench he had specified, and looked around. John always managed to sneak up on her, and it was infuriating. She wondered why he just didn't m**e**et her at the diner.

Suddenly, he was there at her elbow, purring, "Hello Detective", in _that_ voice. She closed her eyes briefly and just let that soft sexy voice wash over her. She wondered how many women he drove wild with that voice every day. Probably everyone he needed something from. She smiled at him, she could'nt help it. He smirked back ather as usual.

They settled down on the bench and Carter handed over the file she had prepared on the latest case for him. Her old buddy in the gang unit had come through for her, allowing her to come through for John.

"I checked with my buddy over in the Gang Unit. You were right about Derek Milton being a former gang member, he ran with one of the Bronx gangs when he was a juvie, but then his older brother Darren was killed over a crack deal gone bad. Derek bailed on the gang life and has been trying to go straight for a year. My buddy says he wouldn'tbe surprised if his old gang wanted to take him down for leaving them. Once in the gang, you stay in the gang".

Reese thumbed through the folder. "So we should send Derek out of town, get a fresh start".

"Yeah, his old gang are minor players, they don't have the resources or the connections to go chasing people more than few miles outside of the city. According to the file he has family in Charlotte, which should be far enough. I'm sure Finch would spring for a bus ticket".

Reese smiled, "I don't think that'llbe a problem, thanks, Joss". He smiled at her! Not a smirk, but a real honest to goodness smile. God, he was gorgeous when he smiled.

"You're welcome, John. It's nice to help a live one once in a while. Besides, maybe you won't add to my workload on this one". She loved to tease him.

John gave a faux long-suffering sigh, "I'm trying to behave". And she loved it even more when he teased her back.

Joss laughed. "Well I know it won't last long so I'lltry to enjoy itwhile I can". How the heck did a trained killer wind up making her laugh every time she saw him? How the heck did such a man wind up being a trained killer?

"Don't get too used to it, my trigger finger itches."

"I'm sure you'llfind someone to shoot soon, that always cheers you up."

Then John asked about Taylor. "How's Taylor doing? The kidnapping have any lasting affects?"

Joss sighed, she really didn't like thinking about it, but John's interest was understandable. "He's fine actually, doing better than I am. He talks about you a lot, wants to know all about you".

"What did you tell him?"

"We work together. You were in the military, I don't know much more than that, which is the truth. He asked if we were dating".

John snorted at that, and Carter's heart dropped. Of course he would find the idea of dating her funny, he probably had sexy women lining up for a shot at him. Joss knew she wasn't all that, she had seen the picture of John with Jessica, the great love of John's life, and knew she was Jessica's polar opposite, but it still hurt.

"You find the idea of dating me funny?" Joss huffed before she stop herself. But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. She did not want John to know it hurt; he would probably run in the opposite direction as fast as he could if he knew her true feelings.

But John surprised her with his next words, "Any man would be lucky to date you, but I'm afraid I'm lousy relationship material. There is that everyone-is-trying-to-kill-me thing. Bullets tend to bring a date to a screeching halt".

"Relax; I'm just messing with you. And thanks for the compliment". Joss was looking away so he would not be able to read her face and realize that she wasn'tjust messing with him, that the compliment meant the world to her, and that she would kill to date him, flying bullets and all.

They sat there a few more minutes and finally Joss realized that she was making a fool of herself just sitting there with him not saying anything. He was probably wondering when she going to leave so he could get to work.

"Well, much as I would love to sit here and enjoy this lovely day, I should get back to the office."

"Thanks again Carter."

"See ya' around , John." She secretly hoped it would be very, very soon.

She walked away, resisting the urge to look back; she knew he wouldn'tbe there anyway.


End file.
